All But Brothers
by Paper Pearls
Summary: A brother isn’t always a friend, but a friend is always a brother. A Marauders Era friendship fic.


**This is my response to ****lilkyonkyon****'s Proverb Challenge. It is set during the seventh and final year of the Marauders. **

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_A brother isn't always a friend, but a friend is always a brother._

Sirius Black was bored. He lay slouched against the trunk of a tree, with his head tilted at an angle he knew would look exceptionally good _and_ show off his moody apathetic face- it made him look deep, and girls liked deep. Ordinarily James would have sat in a similar pose in an effort to impress Evans, but since he had achieved his goal and become her boyfriend such things no longer seemed to matter to him. The sacred bond of young men trying to woo a girl had been broken. He sighed, but Remus was too involved in his book to notice and Peter was staring into space as per usual. Sirius sighed louder. Neither of them had noticed, and if James were here they would already have planned a prank of some sort. But James wasn't there- he was sitting beside the lake holding hands with that red headed thief; Lily Evans. He frowned, knowing that the expression suited him- hell, any expression suited him because he was Sirius Black!

"Padfoot, why are you trying to perform wandless magic on dear Evans?" It never ceased to amaze Sirius how Moony managed to know exactly what he was doing without even looking up from whatever dusty book he happened to be thumbing his way through.

"For reasons so immense that even you won't understand them for another two hundred years at least, boy genius." Remus snorted whereas Peter gave the far more favourable response of looking at him with undisguised awe.

"Re-really Padfoot? How did you think of it then?" Sirius basked in admiration of his most gullible, impressionable friend, ignoring Remus' disapproving stare.

"Because, dear Wormtail, I am not only a wizard but a... a... time traveller. I have a time turner." Wormtail's eyes became as wide as dinner plates, but the pleasure was lost to the overwhelming sense of frustration when Evans tossed back her hair and laughed that girly laugh of hers at something James had said.

"Yes, and I'm almost finished building a ladder that'll take me to the moon."

"How does that work, Moony?" Remus pinched the bridge of his nose- he worried about Wormtail and his inability to pick up on sarcasm or tall tales.

"You see, Wormtail," Sirius winked at Remus who only shook his head in response, "Moony's ladder has been shrunk, and if we enlarge it then it'll work perfectly. He keeps it in the shack to stop other people finding it." At this even Remus had to laugh.

"Oh... you're not serious then?"

"No, Peter."

"Then why were you staring at Evans?" Ignoring the urge to choke the life out of Peter, Sirius closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

"Yes Sirius, why were you staring at Evans?" He gave Remus the most devastating frown that he could muster before snatching the book out of his hands and reading. "I know you don't read very often, Padfoot, but that book is upside down."

"I knew that. I was... testing you."

"For what?" Simultaneously they shot a pitying glance at Peter.

"No, what is testing you is that it is a beautiful sunny say, perfect conditions for an outdoor prank, and Prongs is too busy making doe eyes at Lily Evans to notice that you miss him."

"I'm having serious doubts about your sexuality, Moony."

"I hope the irony of that statement wasn't lost on you, Padfoot." Sirius gasped theatrically, but there was no comeback powerful enough that he could think of.

"Touché."

"What?" Again they turned to face Pettigrew.

"This is going to be a long day..."

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Two hours later James Potter finally recalled that he had promised Sirius that they would serve some freezing cold revenge to make the warm summer day have been lived fully. He kissed Lily's cheek (how had he ended up with a girl like her?) and headed towards the tree, unaware of the emotional turmoil Sirius was going through. James was a little insensitive at the best of times, but the nonchalant posture of his oldest friend did nothing to alert him that anything was amiss.

"Hey Moony, Wormtail." Remus looked up from his book long enough to return the greeting and Wormtail stuttered a reply- with his two heroes in the vicinity it was difficult remaining calm. "Padfoot." Sirius didn't look up, instead picking an invisible speck of dirt out from one of his nails. "Did you guys miss me?" Had Sirius looked towards his friend he would have seen the question was directed mainly at him- as it was, he didn't.

"Oh, yes!" Peter wrung his hands in delight.

"It _is_ good to have you back with us." Remus directed a subtle glance towards Sirius, which James entirely missed as his thoughts were clouded by the perfume Evans wore.

"Not really." Sirius shrugged churlishly, causing Remus to raise an incredulous eyebrow.

"What?!" The shock of his entertaining and most valued presence not being missed was one James Potter was incapable of processing.

"I'm sorry Prongs, but I can't hear you over the sound of how AWESOME I am." Several nearby people turned to stare, unsure if one of the most popular boys in the school was pulling yet another prank or having a fight with James Potter. Sirius stood and stomped across the lawn, shooting a contemptuous glance at the onlookers. He sat by the lake, dropping onto an uncomfortable rock and immediately missing the comfortable, smooth bark against his back, the grass cushioning the ground under his body and most of all, although he'd rather jump in the lake and move in with the Giant Squid than admit it, his friends. He turned as surreptitiously as possible to see them, but James was heading back towards Evans and the other two were nowhere to be seen. _Great_. He, Sirius Black, darling of Gryffindor house, was reduced to sulking alone on an awkwardly shaped boulder. He seethed for several minutes until another figure dropped down beside him.

"Hey Padfoot, how's it going?"

"Oh, so you're done talking with Lily and you want me to entertain you now. I see." James ran a hand through his already tousled hair before responding.

"Actually... you've been acting kind of weird recently. I was asking Li- Evans about what she thought it could be... you know, because girls are good at that kind of thing."

"You're kidding. You've been spending every waking moment with sodding Evans- how could you know how I've been acting?"

"You're right Padfoot, and I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry." They exchanged a grin and both knew that things between them were fine once more.

"No, no, could you repeat that first bit please Prongs?" James tackled him without warning and they continued to fight until a familiar, detestable sneering voice made its way to their ears.

"Oh, how sweet; the golden couple of Hogwarts have reunited. I'm glad that you two feel comfortable enough with the fact that you're-" Without having to say a word they ceased fighting and simultaneously hexed Severus Snape.

"Oh, the bat bogie- that's nasty, Prongs." They stood over the unconscious form of their favourite victim and took stock of the damage.

"Says you who cast the grease curse... oh, that wasn't you."

"What about the hex that-"

"James Potter! Sirius Black! Explain yourselves at once." Professor McGonagall marched towards them, her fury palpable.

"Well you see, I went temporarily deaf because of how awesome I am, and I'd be happy to tell you more over a candlelit dinner... Minerva." James couldn't help but clap Sirius on the back- there was nobody like his best friend, his brother in all but blood.

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**Thanks for reading. Please review.**


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